This Week's Top News

Promise kept – implications?

Gov. Maggie Hassan wasted no time following through on her promise to veto the state budget unless key provisions were changed. The House and Senate did not (change the provisions) and she did (veto the budget), and quite quickly at that.

So where are we? The current budget expires in four days. The House and Senate have passed (and the governor has signed) a continuing resolution to keep state government from shutting down, but the executive and legislative branches are miles apart on when they will sit down to craft a budget to which all sides can agree. Gov. Hassan would like these negotiations to begin immediately; House and Senate leadership indicate a more likely time frame will be sometime in the fall.

The difference in spending between what the governor proposed and what the Legislature wanted was minor ($11.5 billion over two years vs. $11.3 billion). The key sticking point made by the governor in her budget veto message was an attempt by the House and Senate to reduce the burden of New Hampshire business taxes (among the highest rates in the country), which she characterized as “unpaid-for tax giveaways to big corporations – many based out of state…”

While not commenting on the overall budget, BIA was very vocal in our support of lower business taxes, especially in light of the tremendous burden high electricity costs, high health care insurance costs, high labor costs and more that employers are paying in New Hampshire.

So what is the end game? Hard to say at this point, but it seems like the longer the stalemate lingers, the more pressure will be put on the governor. The continuing resolution that is keeping the state government running only funds agencies at current spending levels, which for most is well below what the new budget called for. In the meantime, we think it is critical to remind legislative leaders not to back away from their commitment to lower business taxes. You can contact them directly to express your opinion using this link:

Do you know that the Handbook of New Hampshire Elected Officials, the Blue Book, is available as an online, fully searchable directory? From the convenience of your PC, laptop, smartphone or tablet, easily search by any keyword or phrase to find detailed information about the NH Legislature. Online subscriptions are $30 with purchase of a print book or $150 for a corporate subscription, which allows for unlimited users. If you have already purchased a print book and would like to add the online subscription, call 224.5388 x100. Learn more

Last Laugh

Dogs

Top 10 Dog Pet Peeves About Humans

1. Blaming your gas on me ... Not Funny.

2. Yelling at me for barking. I am a dog, you idiot.

3. Taking me for a walk and then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?

4. Any trick balancing food on my nose. Stop it.

5. Yelling at me for rubbing myself on your carpet. Why did you buy carpet?

HB 191 Relative to projects which are privately financed in energy efficiency and clean energy districts. Prime sponsor: John Mann. Introduced and Referred to House Municipal and County Government. Lay on Table (Rep J. Belanger): MA VV

HB 227 Relative to eminent domain on public lands. Prime sponsor: James Belanger. Passed House. Introduced and Referred to Senate Public and Municipal Affairs. Sen. Little Moved Laid on Table, MA, VV; SJ 12. Inexpedient to Legislate Not Voted On

HB 547 (2nd New Title) Requiring the assessing standards board to make recommendations on the valuation of telecommunications poles and conduits and the assessment of utility property.Prime sponsor: Carol McGuire. Passed House. Introduced and Referred to Senate Ways and Means. Conference Committee Report; Not Signed Off;

HB 572 (New Title) Relative to taking land by eminent domain for high pressure gas pipelines and relative to the siting of high pressure gas pipelines.Prime sponsor: James Belanger. Conference Committee Report 2242c: Adopted, VV in Senate and House.

SB 170 (New Title) Requiring the public utilities commission to ensure ratepayer protections with electric power suppliers and extending the time for the site evaluation committee to adopt certain rules. Prime sponsor: Russell Prescott. Conference Committee Report 2125c: Adopted, VV in House and Senate.

HB 1 Making appropriations for the expenses of certain departments of the state for
fiscal years ending June 30, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Prime sponsor: Neal Kurk. Vetoed by the Governor on 6/25/2015

HB 2 Relative to state fees, funds, revenues, and expenditures. Prime sponsor: Neal Kurk. Vetoed by the Governor on 6/25/2015

HB 115 (Second New Title) Relative to reports on gross appropriations from the highway fund in the tentative state budget and defining autocycle and making provisions for the operation and inspection of autocycles. Prime sponsor: Herbert Richardson. Conference Committee Report 2777c; Adopted, VV in Senate and House.

HB 547 (2nd New Title) Requiring the assessing standards board to make recommendations on the valuation of telecommunications poles and conduits and the assessment of utility property. Prime sponsor: Carol McGuire. Passed House. Introduced and Referred to Senate Ways and Means. Conference Committee Report; Not Signed Off;

HB 551 Relative to preventing the diversion of business income to tax havens. Prime sponsor: Richard Ames. Introduced and Referred to Ways and Means. Lay on Table (Rep Almy): MA VV

HB 450 (2nd New Title) Establishing a commission to study and make recommendations for a common definition of employee. Prime sponsor: Keith Murphy. Passed House. Introduced and Referred to Senate Commerce. Conference Committee Report; Not Signed Off;

HB 170 Relative to the advisory committee on international trade. Prime sponsor: Pamela Tucker. Signed by the Governor on 5/5/2015; Chapter 07; Effective Date 7/4/2015

HB 180 (New Title) Relative to the definition of "price or consideration" under the real estate transfer tax and relative to the exception for transfers by devise under such tax. Prime sponsor: Naida Kaen. Signed by the Governor on 6/12/2015; Chapter 133; Effective Date 7/1/2015

HB 279 Establishing a commission to study the economic impact of the arts and culture in New Hampshire. Prime sponsor: Ken Gidge. Signed by the Governor on 6/8/2015; Chapter 122; Section 2 Effective Date 11/1/2016, Remaining Effective Date 6/8/2015

HB 361 (New Title) Establishing a committee to study the definition of "employee" and the application of that definition to persons who work exclusively at home via the Internet for online business activities. Prime sponsor: William Infantine. Signed by the Governor on 6/12/2015; Chapter 138; Effective Date 6/12/2015

HB 362 Relative to the reliability of the electric grid. Prime sponsor: David Murotake. Signed by the Governor on 6/5/2015; Chapter 89; Effective Date 8/4/2015

HB 522 Making certain changes in the law governing toxic substances in the workplace to comply with federal law. Prime sponsor: Jeffrey Goley. Signed by the Governor on 6/12/2015; Chapter 141; Effective Date 1/1/2016

HB 534 Relative to the duties of the housing finance authority. Prime sponsor: Jack Flanagan. Signed by the Governor on 5/5/2015; Chapter 16; Effective Date 7/4/2015

SB 168 Relative to the duties of the commissioner of the department of environmental services. Prime sponsor: David Watters. Signed by the Governor on 05/07/2015; Chapter 0032; Effective 07/06/2015

SB 234 Establishing a committee to study the use of law enforcement details and flaggers for traffic control on municipally maintained roads. Prime sponsor: Jeb Bradley. Signed by the Governor on 06/02/15; Chapter 0081; Effective 06/02/2015

RETAINED BILLS

CACR 2 Relating to dedicated funds. Providing that funds shall be used solely for the purpose of the fund. Prime sponsor: Stephen Smith. Introduced and Referred to House Ways and Means. Retained in Committee

HB 143 Relative to electric renewable classes. Prime sponsor: David Murotake. Introduced and Referred to House Science, Technology and Energy. Retained in Committee

HB 288 Relative to the code for energy conservation in new building construction. Prime sponsor: Warren Groen. Introduced and Referred to Municipal and County Government. Retained in Committee

HB 294 Establishing a commission to develop a strategic plan for New Hampshire. Prime sponsor: Jacalyn Cilley. Introduced and and Referred to House Executive Departments and Administration. Retained in Committee

HB 324 Relative to membership in a union. Prime sponsor: Joseph Pitre. Introduced and Referred to House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services. Retained in Committee

HB 372 Relative to certain private employers under workers’ compensation. Prime sponsor: Robert Haefner. Introduced and Referred to House Environment and Agriculture. Retained in Committee

HB 376 FN Appropriating funds to the department of environmental services for the purpose of funding eligible and completed drinking water, wastewater, and landfill closure projects under the state aid grant program. Prime sponsor: Thomas Buco. Introduced and Referred to House Finance. Retained in Committee

HB 386 Reducing the rate of the business profits tax. Prime sponsor: James Spillane. Introduced and Referred to Ways and Means. Retained in Committee

HB 399 Establishing a force of state capitol security officers with the authority to carry firearms.Prime sponsor: Alfred Baldasaro. Introduced and Referred to Legislative Administration. Retained in Committee

HB 569 Including certain nonprofit charitable enterprises under the business enterprise tax and reducing the rate of the tax. Prime sponsor: David Hess. Introduced and Referred to Ways and Means. Retained in Committee

HB 571 Relative to taxation of trusts under the interest and dividends tax. Prime sponsor: David Hess. Introduced and Referred to Ways and Means. Retained in Committee

CACR 3 Relating to public education. Providing that the general court shall define standards and funding for public education. Prime sponsor: Jeb Bradley. Introduced and Referred to Senate Education. Inexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV

HB 120 Relative to complaint procedures before the state commission for human rights. Prime sponsor: Patrick Abrami. Introduced and Referred to House Judiciary. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 124 Relative to the implementation of new college and career readiness standards. Prime sponsor: Glenn Cordelli. Passed House. Introduced and Referred to Senate Education. Inexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV

HB 139 Relative to an emergency exception under the New Hampshire retirement system for certain part-time employment. Prime sponsor: Mario Ratzki. Introduced and Referred to Executive Departments and Administration. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 167 Directing the commissioners of the department of resources and economic development and the department of environmental services to develop a business development plan to attract certain businesses to New Hampshire. Prime sponsor: David Danielson. Introduced and Referred to House Resources, Recreation and Development. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 174 Establishing a committee to study the name and structure of the Department of Resources and Economic Development. Prime sponsor: William Infantine. Introduced and Referred to House Resources, Recreation and Development. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 224 FN Repealing the exemption for water and air pollution control facilities from local property taxation. Prime sponsor: Robert Cushing. Introduced and Referred to House Municipal and County Government. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA DV 249-77

HB 248 Directing the university system of New Hampshire to conduct a study of the effects of prolonged human consumption of and exposure to methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). Prime sponsor: Jim McConnell. Introduced and Referred to Environment and Agriculture. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 278 Relative to town clerk fees for fill and dredge permit applications. Prime sponsor: David Danielson. Introduced and Referred to Ways and Means. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 291 Establishing a committee to study modernization of the energy grid in New Hampshire. Prime sponsor: Marjorie Shepardson. Introduced and Referred to House Science, Technology and Energy. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 314 Establishing a commission to study the charitable status of certain nonprofit organizations for purposes of state and local taxation. Prime sponsor: Pamela Brown. Introduced and Referred to Ways and Means. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 318 Establishing a committee to study state laws and rules affecting New Hampshire businesses. Prime sponsor: William Infantine. Introduced and Referred to House Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 319 Establishing a committee to study effects of making changes to certain New Hampshire tax laws. Prime sponsor: William Infantine. Introduced and Referred to House Ways and Means. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 350 Establishing a commission to study the impacts of the property tax on New Hampshire’s residents, businesses, municipalities, and the economy. Prime sponsor: Judith Spang. Introduced and Referred to House Ways and Means. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 213-143

HB 360 Relative to public utilities that fail to restore service within 3 days. Prime sponsor: Jordan Ulery. Introduced and Referred to Science, Technology and Energy. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 365 Prohibiting an employer from using credit history in employment decisions. Prime sponsor: Robert Cushing. Introduced and Referred to House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 200-142

HB 409 Banning corn-based ethanol as an additive to gasoline in New Hampshire. Prime sponsor: Joseph Pitre. Introduced and Referred to Science, Technology and Energy. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 431 Relative to the placement of all new elective electric transmission lines in New Hampshire. Prime sponsor: Laurence Rappaport. Introduced and Referred to Science, Technology and Energy. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 213-131

HB 544 Allowing the general court to deny a utility the use of the power of eminent domain. Prime sponsor: Laurence Rappaport. Introduced and Referred to Science, Technology and Energy. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV

HB 591 Relative to the road toll rate and eliminating a capital appropriation for highway projects. Prime sponsor: James Spillane. Introduced and Referred to Public Works and Highways. Inexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 243-108